Former Python, 76, cancels autumn book tour

Sir Michael Palin is to undergo heart surgery.

The former Python has cancelled his upcoming book tour while he has the operation to repair a mitral valve, which lets blood flow from left atrium to the left ventricle.

In a blog post entitled The Machine that Goes ‘Ping!’, Palin, 76, told fans: ‘Five years ago, a routine health check revealed a leaky mitral valve in my heart. 

‘Until the beginning of this year it had not affected my general level of fitness. Recently, though, I have felt my heart having to work harder and have been advised it’s time to have the valve repaired. 

‘I shall be undergoing surgery in September and should be back to normal, or rather better than normal, within three months.’

According to the NHS, a leaking mitral valve - known as mitral regurgitation - can cause dizziness, breathlessness, tiredness and chest pain, and can potentially lead to an irregular and fast heartbeat, high blood pressure and heart failure.

Palin’s book North Korea Journal, about his travels to the pariah state for a recent Channel 5 documentary, is due out in September.

He was to follow it up with a tour in the second half of October, but that has now been cancelled. Publisher Penguin announced said ticket-holders would be refunded.

Published: 25 Jul 2019